These Homemade Protein Bars are easy to make with no baking or stove needed! Made with everyday ingredients, no special shopping required.
author’s note
Homemade Bars > Store-Bought!
Last year, my husband’s trainer told him he needed more protein. He’s never been a fan of protein or granola bars, but he wanted something quick he could snack on or take with him. So, I was determined to make a homemade protein bar he’d actually enjoy—and as a bonus, skip all those store-bought bars with ingredients I can’t even pronounce.
I’ve always loved bars like Perfect Bars, G2G Bars, and Go Macro Bars for their flavor, texture, and more reasonable ingredients, so that’s the kind of vibe I was going for when I started testing. After a few tries, I landed on the most delicious bar—and now I can’t stop making them. I have to double every batch because they disappear so fast.
And the best part? They’re saving my grocery budget too. Homemade wins all around!
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps & Tips |
|---|---|
| Old-fashioned oats | Use quick oats for softer bars or pulse more finely for smoother texture |
| Peanut butter | Almond, cashew, or sunflower butter all work |
| Honey | Maple syrup for vegan option, though bars may be softer |
| Vanilla protein powder | Chocolate protein powder for a brownie-like bar |
| Mini chocolate chips | Skip for less sugar, or use dried fruit, nuts, or seeds |
| Optional drizzle | Dark, white, or flavored chocolate works here |
How To Make Homemade Protein Bars
- Prep the pan: Line a bread pan with parchment for easy lifting.
- Blend oats: Pulse oats in a food processor until they’re coarse flour.
- Mix ingredients: Add nut butter, honey, protein powder, and extras. Pulse until dough forms.
- Press into pan: Spread evenly and press down firmly.
- Chill & cut: Refrigerate 1 hour, lift out, slice, and enjoy. Optional: drizzle melted chocolate before chilling.
Storage
- Fridge: Store homemade protein bars in an airtight container for 1–2 weeks.
- Freezer: Freeze individually wrapped bars for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge overnight or grab straight from freezer for a chewier bite.
More Protein-Packed Recipes:
Breakfast
Protein Breakfast Cookies
Shakes And Smoothies
Pumpkin Protein Shake
Snacks
Chocolate Energy Bites
Desserts
Protein Cookie Dough
Homemade Protein Bars
Video
Equipment
- Small blender or mini food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup peanut butter stir well if using a natural butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract optional
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup vanilla protein powder see note 1
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon melted coconut oil
Instructions
- Line bread pan (8.5 x 4.5-inch) with parchment paper or foil. Leave an overhang for easy removal of bars and set aside.
- Add oats in a small blender or food processor. Pulse for about 15–20 seconds until oats resemble a coarse flour. Add remaining “Protein Bars” ingredients. Pulse until well combined into a thick dough. Scrape edges as needed.
- Press the dough firmly and evenly into the prepared bread pan.
- Combine chocolate chips with coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 10 seconds until the chocolate is smooth. Transfer chocolate to a plastic bag, cut off the tip of the bag, and drizzle chocolate over the bars. If desired, sprinkle a light dusting of sea salt.
- Pop in the fridge until bars are set and firm, about an hour.
- Remove from the fridge and, using the overhang, pull the bars from the pan. Cut into 10 to 12 bars.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Is Making Your Own Protein Bars Cheaper?
Yes, making your own protein bars is almost always cheaper in the long run. The ingredients might cost a bit more upfront, but you can make a big batch—so each bar ends up costing way less.
Store-bought bars usually run between $1.50 to $3.00 each, while homemade ones can be much more budget-friendly depending on what you use.
Plus, you get to control exactly what goes in them—no mystery ingredients—and you can tweak the recipe to match your flavor and texture preferences perfectly!
DANGER-these are so good that it’s easy to gobble 600 calories in an instant 😂. Seriously though I made these with almond butter which I far prefer over peanut butter, omitted coconut (for once in my life) and used Orgain vanilla protein powder. Just SO GOOD. I also made some with chocolate powder and they’re almost as good. YUM YUM!
YAY! I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks Stephanie! 🙂
Is there a viedo available on theese bars
Not yet! But here’s a step by step tutorial: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17883403064020029/
Can the bars be used when on KETO
I’m so sorry I’m not familiar enough with the KETO diet to give recommendations; I’d work with a nutritionist on that!
thank you for this recipe, I eat commercial protein bars all the time, but very few measure up for long, just get sick of them and most are loaded with sugar, so really nice to be able to make my own with your recipe